DLNR: SAILING VESSEL PRELUDE SET TO BE REMOVED FROM THE OCEAN OFF KAIMANA BEACH

(Honolulu) – Salvage teams from Parker Marine will be working today and possibly tomorrow in another attempt to free sailing vessel Prelude from shallow waters off Kaimana Beach on O‘ahu’s south shore. The boat grounded on a reef, about 300 feet off-shore, on Sunday. An earlier attempt to free it wasn’t successful due to strong winds, the water depth, and the position of the boat on the reef.

The City and County of Honolulu’s Dept. of Parks and Recreation has issued a right-of-entry to the salvage company to access the boat from Kaimana Beach both Thursday and Friday. Mike Parker, the owner of the salvage company, said they hope to free the boat today but have Friday set aside as a backup. The company will be using an excavator to lift the boat out of the water once it’s moved close enough to shore.

Anyone in the area, on the beach, or in the ocean is being cautioned to give the salvage operation wide berth.